The Brown County Fair at Mt. Sterling, Ill., home of the Taser Gun Pace, will host its annual pari-mutuel harness meet on August 2 and 3. The featured race named after the Henry Letsgo sired millionaire with a purse of $18,000 (est.), will be called to the post on Thursday evening, August 3. Post times for both nighttime cards will be at 7 p.m. (CDT).

In addition to the signature event, Mid-Western Illinois Racing Association races for both sexes and gaits will be competed for purses of $12,000 (est). Speed Superintendent Ed Teefey has also announced that a free carnival on Thursday from 6 – 10 p.m. sponsored by the Farmers State Bank of Mt. Sterling, and a beer tent located north of the grandstand with a mutuel window and monitor, will premier at this year’s fair.

On Wednesday evening, 2-year-old Mid-Western Illinois Racing Association pacers and 3-year-old Mid-Western Illinois Racing Association trotters will take center stage on the lightning-fast half-mile oval. On Thursday evening, 2-year-old Mid-Western Illinois Racing Association trotters and 3-year-old Mid-Western Illinois Racing Association pacers will go postward, and the final race under the stars will be the signature event, the Taser Gun Pace.

The Taser Gun is named for the millionaire pacing gelding and 2004 Illinois Harness Horse Hall of Fame inductee Taser Gun. The pride of Cunningham Racing and trainer Bob Walker established the stakes and track record in the then Illinois conceived and foaled pace for older horses in 2002. Hart Walker piloted “Taser” in that 1:534 record mile.

That race also is in the record books as the richest and fastest race of all-time at an Illinois county fair. The name change was made in 2004 to honor the famous old warhorse representing south-central Illinois. Taser Gun will unfortunately miss the 2006 edition because of injury. Entries close for Illinois Conceived and Foaled Pacers age four years and up, July 31, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. (CDT).

Previous winners include Constant Change in 2004, who won by a nose over Taser Gun following a gallant stretch duel for driver-trainer Tom Simmons and owners Benita Simmons, Hunt Harness Horses, and Helen Logan. Black Cat Bone prevailed in 2001 driven by Rick Schrock. Since that race the Sportsmaster gelding has gone on and amassed over $500,000 in lifetime earnings. The 2000 winner, Lake Hills Lucinda, driven by Adrian Price, Jr., is the only mare to win the race, stopping the timer in 1:59.

Mt. Sterling, Ill. is located approximately 65 miles west of Springfield, Ill. on U.S. Route 24. For more information, including driving directions, call the Brown County Fairgrounds at (217) 773-3939, or the speed office at (217) 773-3930.